The ANC's continued attacks on the Scorpions are a disgusting display of political expediency, and a transparent abuse of power. It is clear with every statement of late they issue and decision they announce that they have no respect for democracy and that they see no limit to their power. Indeed, we should ask why on this issue of the Scorpions they would place Government on a deadline to disband the unit. Why, of all the pressing issues that face the nation, is the new ANC leadership obsessed with this one issue? The people of this country have been crying out for years upon years for the ANC to address unemployment, poverty and crime, but on these things the new ANC leadership don't set deadlines and demand immediate action. We shall never forget that the anti-Scorpions campaign was launched by people such as Brett Kebble and Schabir Shaik, both of whom actively went about buying influence in the ANC. We are not blind to the fact that a disturbing amount of people who now think they control the ANC, and indeed the entire country, have pending cases against them or had previous brushes with the law.

The ANC fairytale of unity in their ranks is believed by nobody. Already there is an unseemly rush on the part of Mr Motlante to be deployed to cabinet, straight into the Deputy Presidency if he has his way. To some people it seems that he is very anxious to prove his 'presidential' abilities. Could it be that now that they have used Mr Zuma's popularity to gain access to the levers of power, his newfound friends will step over him to grab total power for themselves? Why not wait until the case against Mr Zuma is finished? There is no doubt that there is a need for a Cabinet reshuffle.

COURT CHALLENGE
The lynch-mob psychology that underpins the campaign against the Scorpions, which from the outset was orchestrated and funded by known criminals, is something that the UDM can never support. There are no justifiable reasons being advanced to disband the unit. When previously the ANC acted so expediently it was with floor-crossing and the UDM took them all the way to the Constitutional Court to expose their expediency. Years later they now admit their error. We call upon Government to shelve this decision about the future of the Scorpions until the election and let the voters decide whether they want to support a party leadership that acts so blatantly in self-interest. If needs be the UDM will again on behalf of the people go to the courts; we are already considering getting legal opinion on what judicial remedies can be sought to prevent the disbandment of the Scorpions as envisaged by the ANC.

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